Collapsible tube



Sept. 29;'193 6. J. R. FLEISCH 5 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed .Sept. 15, 1933INVENTOR M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE11 Claims. (01. 221-60) The present invention relates to sealedpackages, and more particularly to a collapsible tube and thepartsthereof.

The commonv type of package for tooth paste,

shaving cream, salves and other pasty materials, comprises a tube formedof relatively soft metal having an outlet or nozzle and a cap threadedupon the outlet to seal the contents of the tube.

In order to dispense the product, the cap is removed by unscrewing andthe tube is squeezed or collapsed to force portions of the productthrough the outlet. As a result, the caps are frequently lost or thrownaway after they are removed, whereby no means are available for sealingthe .15 remaining contents to prevent accidental discharge,deterioration, and hardening or caking of the product. Consequently, asubstantial amount of the product is wasted or becomes unfit for furtheruse. If the caps are dropped and found again, they may pick up dirt andcontaminate the product, or the liner may fall out, causing the consumerconsiderable inconvenience.

In order to overcome the above objections, tubes having caps irremovablyretained thereon have been utilized. The chief difiiculty with these isthat they are too complicated, require expensive apparatus tomanufacture andassemble them, and in'many instances they provideinadequate seals. These factorsv increase the cost of the packages tosuch an extent that packers cannot utilize them on a competitive basis.

The present invention aims to provide a simple, inexpensive sealedpackage for various products, such as tooth paste and other pasty orviscous materials. The present invention also contemplates the provisionof a package which forms an effective seal, prevents loss of the cap orliner and provides an effective reseal for preserving the undispensedportions of the product.

The invention further contemplates the provision of an improved packagewhich can be made at substantially the same cost as the cost of theinferior conventional package. In addition, the present invention aimsto provide a cap which is attractive in appearance and is adapted toserve as an applicator for dispensing the contents.

An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensivecollapsible package for pasty substances and the like.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a tube which is closedat both ends and is provided with a conical portion adapted to bepunctured to provide a dispensing aperture. Another object of theinvention is to provide -mounted thereon which is adapted to form aneffective reseal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap which isattractive in appear- 5 ance and may be used as an applicator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube closed at bothends, the dispensing end thereof having a thinned portion to facilitatepuncturing, formed by a depression on the ex- 10 tericr of the tube tomake the location of the thin spot visible from the exterior of thetube.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap having a conical topportion facilitating the provision of a substantially larger aperture 15for a cap of given diameter and facilitating the proper centering of thecap on the tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sealed collapsibletube constructed of parts which maybe manufactured and assembled by 20simple inexpensive operations.

Other and further objects of the invention will be'obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and de- 30 scription and is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein Fig. 1 is afragmentary side elevational view showing a preferred embodiment of thepresent 5 invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional v ew of a preferred closure cap of the presentinvention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a preferred container prior toapplying the cap there- 40 Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken along theline 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the cap applied to the container;

- Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken along the line 45 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

and a top portion I adapted to receive a suitable closure cap.Preferably, the top portion 5 of the tube comprises a substantiallyconical portion 6 having a fiat apex portion I adapted to center the capon the top portion. A suitable weakened portion or thin spot 9 is formedin the conical portion. This portion is adapted to be punctured toprovide an aperture for dispensing the product from the tube and byreason of the conical shape of the top portion, a substantially largeaperture is provided. The thinned portion 9 is preferably formed by adepression from the exterior of the tube. In this way, the location ofthe thin spot is visible to the person puncturing and the aperture inthe cap can be made to register with it more easily. In addition, thefilm being attached to the inner surface of the tube minimizes anytendency for the metal to break when it is rolled back during thepunching operation.

A neck portion l0, merging into the shoulder 4, is formed beneath theconical portion 9 for receiving the skirt of a closure cap andpreferably is inclined upwardly at an angle of about four degrees tofacilitate centering the cap. A stop portion or projection I l is formedon the neck portion substantially at the junction of the neck portionand the shoulder portion for permitting limited rotation of the closureand, preferably, is in" radial alignment with the weakened portion 9.

A preferred closure cap i4 is shown herein formed of molding materialsuch as phenolic condensation products and synthetic resins, which isattractive in appearance and'which is not affected by any chemicalaction of the product. Preferably, the cap comprises a conical topportion l9 adapted to conform to and fit the conical portion 9 of thecontainer and having an inner apex it adapted to substantially fit theapex I of the container. The outer apex II of the cap is preferablyrounded to improve the appearance thereof and to facilitate its use asan applicator for dispensing the contents of the package. when desired.A suitable aperture i9 is formed in the conical portion it below theapex H for dispensing the product, and is adapted to register with thethinned portion 9 of the tube. The lower portion of the cap is providedwith an integral skirt portion 29 adapted to be rotatably-attached tothe neckportion It and preferably has suitable-ribs or knurls 2| formedtherein to decorate the cap and provide" gripping means to facilitaterotation thereof.

The thinned portion 9 of the tube hermetically seals the contents of thetube, which enables the product to reach the consumer in thebest'possible condition. It also makes the package tamperproof. Onecannot sample or tamper with the contents without puncturing the film 0.This onables the purchaser to know that the contents are in theiroriginal condition, a feature greatly de-.

sired by manufacturer and consumer. The utilization of the film 9 alsoreduces the cost of the tube. It is not practical to make an offset aperture in the tube because of the accuracy required of the cooperatingparts utilized in the manufacture. A variation of one or two thousandthsof an inch in the thickness of the film, occasioned by wear orimperfections in the tool, is relatively immaterial but such variationsin tools for puncturing the end would be fatal. For these reasons, it isless expensive to form the aperture in the tube by a separate punchingoperation, where it is desired to pack a product in an apertured tube.Preferably, the caps are also formed, for the same reasons. with a filmof molded material over the aperture, which is broken away before thecap is applied to the container. By utilizing this method ofmanufacture, the tubes can be made to compete in cost with conventionaltubes, which is important.

In order to attach the cap to the container, the inner part of the skirtis provided with an inwardly extending rib 22 tapered to fit the neckportion in and spaced from the lower edge of the skirt to form anannular recess 24 adapted to receive the stop portion or projection IIon the shoulder of the tube. A substantially semicircular rib 23 isformed within the recess 24, having end portions 26 and 26 adapted toabut against the stop portion II to permit limited rotation of the cap.Preferably, the recess 24 is in radial alignment with the aperture l9,so that upon assembling the package, entry of the projection il into therecess 24 is facilitated by aligning the aperture with the weakenedportion. The lower portion of the rib 23 may be tapered at 21 to fit theshoulder of the container so that it does not interfere with therotation of the cap. If desired, a pair of spaced projections may beprovided in the recess 24 instead of the rib 29. In order to attach thecap, a suitable recess 29 is formed above the rib 22 for permitting aportion of the tube to be expanded therein, as described hereinafter.

In Fig, 4, the cap is shown applied upon the container and rotatablymounted thereon by forming a projection 30 in the neck portion to extendradially outwardly and fit into the groove 29. when the cap is in theposition shown herein, the aperture i9 registers with the weakenedportion 9 of the container, while the corresponding conical surfaces ofthe cap and container fit snugly to provide a seal and are relativelyrotatable. As shown in Fig. 5, the end portion 25 of the rib 21 abutsagainst the stop portion II to prevent further counter-clockwiserotation of the cap and to facilitate registry of the aperture portion 9and the aperture I9. If the cap is rotated in a clockwise direction, theend portion 2! permits substantially a half turn so that the conicalportion of the cap seals the aperture portion 9.

In Fig. 6, a perspective view of the cap and container is. shown, withportion 9 punched out to provide an aperture 3| The metal of the tube isductile, permitting the film to be punctured by any suitable instrument,such as a pointed wooden peg. The metal does not break but coils aboutthe inner periphery of the opening, which gives a smooth contour to theexterior or visible side of the aperture. The cap fits the tubesuillciently tight to seal the opening, when the cap is rotated to closethe opening. In this manner, the cap forms an effective reseal in everyinstance, while the contents of the package are being dispensed.

The parts of the present invention may be made by utilizing thesimplestand least expensive methods. The closure caps may be molded by means ofa mold memberproviding the outer contour of the cap, and a pin formingthe inner portions thereof. When the pin is retracted from the moldmember, the groove portion 29 will cause the cap to remain on the pinand be withdrawn from the mold. The cap may then be stripped from thepin by a stripping member,,due to the slightly plastic or flexibleproperties of the cap material. The caps are then polished and inspectedand are ready for assembly upon the tubes. The tubes are preferably madein the conventional manner, but a closed upper end portion whichprevents shifting thereof prior to being attached. A suitable tool isinserted into the open end of the tube to spin or expand a portion ofthe neck i0 radially outwardly to form the projection 30, which extendsand fits into the recess 29, whereby the cap is rotatably mounted on thecontainer. The recess 29 is preferably hook shaped incross-section togive a good grip under the projection 30 and ample clearance above theprojection. The tapered neck It facilitates forming the projection 30'with less complicated tools and also facilitates application of caps.The containers may then be lithographed or otherwise decorated before orafter the cap is applied and thereafter filled and closed at the lowerend by existing machines utilized for these purposes.

As noted herein, the containers are securely sealed atboth ends toprevent leakage or spoilage of the product during shipment. When theyreach the ultimate consumer, they are opened by turning the cap to theposition shown in Fig. 4 and punching the weakened portion 9 inwardly toform the aperture 3i. By reason of the depression on the exterior, thelocation of the thin spot is visibleand can be made to register with theaperture in the cap without difficulty. To make this initial opening ofthe tube easy for the consumer, a suitable wooden peg may be includedwith each tube. The product, which may be tooth paste, for example, isthen dispensed by squeezing the'tube to force out the desired'quantityof paste and applying it to a tooth brush by moving the conical portionacross a tooth brush.- The apex portion ll, in this manner, is used asan applicator to place the paste properly upon the brush. After thedesired quantity of paste has been used, the cap is rotated to itsclosed position, whereby the conical part seals the aperture 3| topreserve the remaining contents of the package and to prevent caking ofthe product, as frequently happens when caps are lost from conventionaltubes.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an inexpensivecontainer for tooth paste, shaving cream, salve and the like, which maybe conveniently manufactured without complicated or expensive machinery.The parts of the package provide a hermetic seal which may easily bebroken by the consumer and also provide an effective reseal.Furthermore, the cap or liner cannot be lost and cannot be dropped andcontaminated. Likewise, the consumer is not inconvenienced with removingand replacing the cap or struggling with it to match the thread of. thecaps with the threads of the tube. In addition, themeans for connectingthe cap upon the container Having thus described my. invention, Iclaim: 1. A closure cap formed of thermo-plastic material such assynthetic resins, comprising in combination a conical top portion havingan aperture therein, a depending skirt, a hook-shaped groove in saidskirt for rotatably mounting the cap on a container, an annular inwardlyprojecting rib beneath said groove having an inclinedtion having anaperture therein, a skirt portion,

a groove substantially hook shaped in section for rotatably mounting thecap on a collapsible tube, and a rib concealed in said skirt beneath'said'groove having a pair of stop faces for permitting limited rotationof. the cap. I

3. A sealed package comprising a collapsible tube having an upwardlytapered neck portion, and a closure cap having a.v tapered rib fittingagainst said neck portion and having a substantially hook shaped grooveabove said rib, said neck portion being provided with an outwardlyextending arcuate bead fitting into said hook shaped groove forrotatably mounting said cap upon said tube.

4. A collapsible tube comprising the combination of a body part and atop portion having a weakened area adapted to be punctured to form anaperture, said weakened area being provided by a recess at the exteriorof the top portion whereby said weakened area is visible'from theexterior of the tube and ascertainable without I the use of index means.

5. A collapsible tube comprising the combina-- tion of a body part, atop portion having a weakened area formed by a depression on theexterior of the tube, and a closure cap rotatablysecured .to said topportion having an aperture therein conical part,said conical part havinga thinned a-rea formed by a recess on the exterior of said conical part,a closure cap having an internal conical part adapted to rest upon theconical part of said top portion, and having an aperture therein adaptedto register with said recess, and means for rotatably securing saidclosure cap to said top portion.

7. A closure cap comprising, in combination, a conical top portionhaving an aperture therein, a skirt portion integral therewith, anannular radially inwardly extending rib having an inclined containerengaging surface formed independently of the exterior of said skirt, agroove above said rib for rotatably mounting the cap on a container, andinwardly extending means beneath said rib formed independently of theexterior of said skirt for permitting limited ro- .tation of the cap onthe container.

8. A sealed package comprising a collapsible container having anupwardly tapered neck portion and a projection on said neck portion, anda closure cap having a tapered rib fitting against said neck portion, anarcuate circumferential groove substantially hook-shaped in sectionabove said rib adapted to receive a corresponding bead formed in saidneck portion to rotatably mount said cap upon said container, and asecond rib stop iace for permitting limitedrotation of said cap.

9. A sealed package comprising a collapsible tube having an upwardlytapered neck portion and a weakened portion above said neck portionadapted to be punctured, and a closure cap having a discharge openingadapted to register with said weakened portion, a tapered rib fittingagainst said neck portion, and a substantially hook-shaped groove abovesaid rib, said neck portion being provided with an outwardly projectingrib fitting into said hook-shaped groove.

10. A closure cap comprising in combination, a top portion having anaperture therein, a depending skirt having an arcuate groove therein,said groove having its smaller diameter at the lower side thereof andits largest diameter at the upper side thereof, a rib below said groovehaving an inclined race for engaging the neck 01' a container and stopmeans tor permitting limited rotation of the cap on the container.

11. A collapsible tube comprising the combination of a body part, a toppart having a thin portion formed by a substantially circular recess atthe exterior of the top part adapted to be punctured to provide anaperture, and a closure cap covering said top part and rotatablyattached to said tube having a substantial circular aperture thereinadapted to register with said recess, whereby said recess is visiblyascertainable from the exterior of the tube without the use 01 indexmeans.

JOSEPH R. FLEISCH.

